


First Meetings

by Dreaming_Writer



Series: Legend of Zelda Posts [6]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Attempted Kidnapping, Developing Friendships, Father-Son Relationship, Future Hyrule, Gen, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Old Work, no beta - we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:48:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25385560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreaming_Writer/pseuds/Dreaming_Writer
Summary: As much as little Broke Dragmire loved hearing the stories his father had to tell, he also realized their darker side and made a new friend.
Series: Legend of Zelda Posts [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1653892
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who cleaned her Laptop and old files?   
> Found this cutie gathering dust and thought it's be nice to post it. It is a one-shot based on my first LoZ story ever (which I have deleted from my FF account ages ago as it was multi-chapter and probably never to be finished) but can totally be read as a stand alone.   
> All you need to know for this is that Broke is Ganondorf's step son and his mother is dead. Oh, and magic doesn't exits here anymore at all because it got sealed away, thus the belief in the goddesses also has receded a lot.  
> Enjoy!

“...and the hero defeated the evil King and saved his princess” Ganondorf Dragmire finished with a smile. His seven-year-old son, who was going to turn eight the next day, scrunched his nose up in confusion. Then big blue eyes turned to his father, after little Broke had digested the story.

“But Daddy, that doesn’t make sense” the boy protested.

“It doesn’t?” Ganondorf asked confused, unsure what the pre-schooler meant.

“No” the boy said again. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“Why?” Ganondorf asked, the archaeologist now honestly intrigued by his little son’s insight.

“Easy” the child said with all the confidence a child his age has in their own opinion. “You said the princess was really wise and really magical powerful, why didn’t she just save herself? I mean she totally could. I don’t get it.”

Now that Ganondorf had it pointed out to him, he didn’t understand it either: “Well...you know how the Triforce’s parts are all equal? Well, she couldn’t save herself because she was equal with the evil king. They needed the hero to shift the balance.”

“A hero – who’s actually just a child inside his head - is supposed to save the country, shift the balance and do all that stuff you said he did?”

“Yes” Ganondorf said and suddenly felt really dumb in comparison to his son. Trying to save face he added: “But remember, the hero travelled in time and was therefore not a child in body.”

“But in mind” Broke protested. “If you asked me” the child added, while crossing his arms. “This is child ab-du-se...”

“Abuse” Ganondorf corrected softly. “Broke, where did you hear that?”

“In school!” the child admitted grinning. “Mr. Manny and Ms. Lila were talking about it with Joyce! I heard it when I and Malon came in!”

“You were late again, weren’t you?” Ganondorf asked exasperated, sighing and massaging his temples. Now it was Broke’s turn to look sheepish. But for the moment his father decided to let the issue slide.

“Look, Broke, child abuse is nothing good and – yeah – you’re right that some of the legendary stuff can be interpreted as such. But remember, technically it’s every time the same old soul, so the hero actually never really is a child.”

“But old soul or not, doesn’t everyone deserve a happy childhood in peace?” Baby blue eyes stared into Ganondorf’s golden brown ones and the man found himself speechless. Because for one small moment he could have sworn that he didn’t look into the eyes of his almost eight-year-old son but into that of an age-old war veteran. And then the moment was over and Ganondorf had to fight to get the goosebumps off his back.

“Doesn’t matter now,” he said firmly, gaining his footing back. “Just be glad that magic doesn’t exist, therefore the legends cannot be real. Also, you don’t need to fear that you’ll be ever targeted by this vicious circle of reincarnation if it was real because luckily every hero of legend ever was named Link. And you, my dear, sweet sunshine, are the complete opposite of that name.” And to underline his point he smiled and messed his son’s golden locks with his right hand up. 

Broke scowled and turned away to fix his hair: “Daddy! Stop that! You know I hate that! My hair is messed up enough as it is without you making it worse!” Said father only gave a deep throated laugh, throwing his head back and laughing, laughing, laughing until his stomach hurt and he had tears in his eyes and the other parents on the playground were throwing dirty looks in their direction.

His son meanwhile was scowling and continued fumbling with his hair: “But I don’t get it: Why always Links? And if only Links are targeted in that circle, why do so many people call their kids Link or something like that?”

At that Ganondorf instantly sobered up. He sighed and though, mulling about the question: “I...I don’t know, son. I don’t know why parents even think about condemning their children to that fate. Maybe they think this name is good luck or maybe they only want to do it for themselves, to go someday down into history as the parent of the newest hero? I cannot fathom their motives. Maybe they only like the name and don´t think about the consequences. For them it’s only a story.”

“But you just said a few minutes ago that it was only a legend” Broke protested at that.

“It is” Ganondorf finally said. “But every legend has a true origin. And sometimes it just feels so real...”

Shaking his head to rid himself of his darker thoughts, Ganondorf turned to his son, who had seated himself on the sandy floor in front of the bench on which his father has seated himself. “Anyway, go and play now, son. Story time is over. Go find some new friends now that Malon is on vacation with her Dad.”

“Yes, Daddy” the boy said, nodding, before slinking away to climb on the tower of the playground, still deep in thought, leaving his father behind in the same mindset.

Higher and higher Broke went until he reached the top of the climbing tower, where there was a crow’s nest, a place so high up other children didn’t dare to go there or their parents forbid them to go there. Pulling himself over the edge, he sat there for a slight moment, taking in the view, a soft smile tugging his lips. His childish mind couldn’t comprehend the motives the builders of this playground had to build the tower as high as it was, but he was thankful for it nevertheless.

Then he climbed inside and stopped short.

Blue eyes met green and the little girl already seated inside the crow’s nest scowled: “Go away.”

Little Broke raised an eyebrow: “Who are you?” “I said go away” the girl repeated annoyed, nose high in the air and eyes downcast as if looking at something smelly.

Broke ignored her and sat down across of her: “Nope. I want to be here, too. It’s where I usually am. So how come you got up here?” The question was justified, because the girl wore a fine pink and white dress with many ornaments and had her light brown hair professionally done. All in all, she didn’t seem like someone on would expect on a normal Saturday morning, much less on a dirty playground and even lesser on top of the highest tower a child could climb.

Secretly Broke instantly admired her for getting up that high, which was even without the ridiculously pretty dress in the way no small feat.

“I order you to go away” the girl repeated, angered. Broke shrugged: “Well, I will not. You’re not the boss of me.” “I’m a princess! I can order you around all I want!” the girl snapped, her patience ended.

Then her eyes widened in fear and she slapped her hands to her mouth.

Broke just quietly stared at her, shocked.

“Oh goddesses, I shouldn’t have said that...” the girl - the princess – started to mumble in fear. “Now I’m really going to get kidnapped, if someone finds out...never should have run away...Impa’s gonna kill me...I should never...”

Swaying, she stood up, ready to climb down again, flight instinct taking over. Broke finally managed to break out of his stupor and caught her hand: “Wait! Don’t go!”

The Princess stared at the boy, disbelief and fear written across her face: “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have said that, just forget it, forget me, don’t tell anyone what happened here today and...”

“No!” Broke repeated, almost pleading. The Princess stopped her babbling at the same moment and instead quietly fixated the boy with a cold gaze. He wasn’t deterred: “You don´t have to go, Princess. You can stay here all you like, I won’t tell anyone. Pinky Promise! If you want, I’ll even go, so you got the whole crow’s nest for yourself.”

And he let her go, stood up and got ready to climb down gain.

The girl’s eyes widened and she quickly shook her head and caught the hand that had just let her go, their roles suddenly reversed: “No, don’t go! It was terribly boring without you here, anyway.”

“...okay...” Broke quietly said. “Then I’ll stay.”

And she let his hand go and both children sat down on the dirty, sandy floor of the crows-nest.

“I’m sorry for my bad manners” the princess finally said. “I was scared, because I wanted to be without bodyguards for once and I knew chances of me being kidnapped would get really high as long as I went without them.” “It’s fine” Broke assured and the princess blushed, smiled and looked away.

Then she looked back at him, smiling sheepishly: “Oh my! Pardon me! I really am a complete mess today. Hello, my name is Princess Zelda of Hyrule. It’s nice to meet you.” Broke grinned at that: “Hi, I’m Broke Dragmire. Nice to meet you, too. Can we drop the formality now, cause we’re friends now and all that?”

“Friends?” Zelda repeated wide-eyed, a warm feeling buzzing in her stomach “Yeah, friends, I’d like that very much.”

“Great, cuz now that I’m your friend, I’ll make sure no one ever gets to kidnap you, no never ever never!” Broke said dramatically. The Princess goggled at that display, confused: “How do you plan that?”

The boy grinned: “My Dad taught me. But it’s his secret technique, so don’t tell anyone, yes?” Zelda nodded, wide-eyed. But then she frowned: “But I am a princess, I’m supposed to be saved by a hero, not save myself.”

“Rubbish, you can totally save yourself, no hero needed in any way. We’re in the present and not in the middle ages! And I’m gonna teach you how” Broke said, jumping to his feet, happily. “Okay! First things first, your kidnapper’s coming for you, what do you do?”

“Run away and scream for help?” Zelda guessed.

“You run away and scream fire, ‘cause people are stupid and ignore cries for help because they thing kids like us are just acting. Fire they won’t ignore as fast” Broke corrected.

His new friend nodded, feeling very dumb at that moment.

“Next!” Broke bellowed suddenly, causing the poor girl to jump nearly out of her skin. “Your kidnapper’s got you. What do you do?”

“Pray the goddesses for help?” Zelda asked, scared. Safety drills in the castle never prepared her for these questions.

Broke frowned: “No, I don’t think so, even if these goddesses existed, which they don’t, cause they’re not logic, they will not help you.”

Zelda frowned, crossing her arms: “Yes, they will. They will send a hero clad in green to save me and Hyrule bravely. And then we’ll ride into the sunset and live happily ever after.”

“...” Broke gaped at her, silently.

Closing his mouth with a clearly audible sound, he finally commented: “You definitely read too many legends, princess. Dream on, if you want, but your prayers won’t help you in reality.”

“HEY!” said Princess protested. Broke rolled his eyes annoyed: “Well, excuuuse me, princess, for giving you a reality check. There is no one who can and will save you usually in a kidnapping situation. You’ll have to do it yourself.”

“Well, what do you say I’m supposed to do then if not pray and take the fool proof method all other Princess Zeldas before me used?” the girl sassed.

“Easy” Broke grinned. “First you slam your head back, into their nose so you break it, they will drop you. If they didn’t hold you close enough to their face, use your elbow and ram it into their solar plexus, wherever or whatever that is. If you can´t reach there, stomp on their foot and then, after they let you go in shock, kick them where the sun doesn´t shine and where it hurts the most and run for the hills screaming fire. Dad recommends if you’re tall enough a combination of all of the above.”

Princess Zelda looked at Broke wide-eyed.

And then she smiled: “I´m glad you’re my friend, Broke. With you by my side I won’t need to be scared anymore.”

“That’s right” Broke grinned. “And now climb down, I wanna play catch.”

And so the newfound friends played until their legs couldn’t carry them anymore, their clothes were dirty and ribbed and they laid down panting in the shade of the trees.

“I really enjoyed today” Zelda admitted. “I am so glad I met you, Broke.” The boy blushed happily with the praise: “Me too, Zel. I’m glad you sneaked out today. Otherwise I would never have met you. You know, tomorrow is my eight birthday and if you’d like to come...”

“Oh, I would love to!” Zelda exclaimed, the eight-year-old clapping her hands together in delight. “But I don’t know if father will let me go...”

“Too right” a sinister voice said. And Zelda shrieked in fear as she was suddenly lifted up from where she laid, a knife pressing into her skin. Broke shot to his feet and the parents on the playground pulled their children close in fear.

“Broke” breathed Ganondorf Dragmire in fear, as he watched the drama unfold from the other side of the playground.

Said boy angrily threw a stone at the kidnapper, the man laughing and holding the princess as a human shield. “I would reconsider that, boy. You could hit her” mocked the man.

Broke growled and to the fear and confusion of the surrounding parents, incoming police officers and castle guards, bravely stormed at the man, bodily clambered up his long legs and bit him, like some rabid animal, while hitting and scratching him.

The man hissed in pain but didn’t let the girl go, instead he hit the boy over his head with his free elbow, causing Broke to let go in pain and then swiftly kicked him away. The small child easily flying away with the force and hitting his head at the hard, unforgiving wood of a nearby tree, where he laid still.

“Anyone else wanting a go at me?” mocked the man, now overly confident. A woman that had come with the castle guards moved, but the man quickly pressed his knife against his captive’s throat.

“One step closer” he threatened. “And the girl is dead.” Instantly everyone stilled. Even Ganondorf, who up until then, tried to edge closer to get his son, who apparently was bleeding from a head-wound.

Zelda saw the blood and her eyes widened. Her panicked movements stilled, while her thoughts raced. The kidnapper started making demands and she thought. And prayed. And then she just stopped.

_“_ _Well, excuuuse me, princess, for giving you a reality check. There is no one who can and will save you usually in a kidnapping situation. You_ _’_ _ll have to do it yourself._ _”_

_“_ _Well, what do you say I_ _’_ _m supposed to do then if not pray and take the fool proof method all other Princess Zeldas before me used?_ _”_

_“_ _Easy. First you slam your head back, into their nose so you break it, they will drop you. If they didn_ _´_ _t hold you close enough to their face, use your elbow and ram it into their solar plexus, wherever or whatever that is. If you can_ _’_ _t reach there, stomp on their foot and then, after they let you go in shock, kick them where the sun doesn_ _’_ _t shine and where it hurts the most and run for the hills screaming fire. Dad recommends if you_ _’_ _re tall enough a combination of all of the above._ _”_

Her eyes widened, as a realisation dawned upon her.

Her would-be kidnapper and her bodyguard and nanny Impa were still discussing, when she suddenly, without warning, slammed her head back, straight onto his nose. The man cursed and instinctually dropped her, his knife leaving a small bleeding gash on her cheek. Zelda ignored it in favour to kick the man where the sun didn’t shine and to run for the – as Broke had phrased it – hills screaming fire.

The move was hyper effective.

Ganondorf practically leaped upon the would-be kidnapper while Zelda continued to run until she was safely in Impa’s arms. The woman was kneeling and holding her close, shielding the princess from the cruel world with her own body.

It was loud it was chaos, and Ganondorf had to be pulled of the attacker before stopped hitting him, paramedics arriving, police taking records and arresting the man, the castle guards a constant ring of safety around the princess and her bodyguard/nanny.

“Where did you learn to act in this way? I know your father has forbidden anyone and anything that would stop you from becoming the stereotypical helpless little princess” Impa asked concerned and proud. Zelda played with the band-aid on her cheek, grinning in triumph: “Broke did. He is my new friend.”

“This Broke seems to be quite the clever kid, then” Impa noted, a warm smile on her face. “I just wish I could have taught you that years ago and not just some boy that you met five minutes ago. At least this should convince your father sufficiently to allow me to teach you how defend yourself.”

“Really?” asked Zelda, her green eyes sparkling with happiness in anticipation. “I would like that very much. Maybe he’ll even let me out a bit more!”

“Not after this stunt, princess” Impa commented and at seeing the downtrodden look her charge gave her she added: “At least not until you’ve found your hero. Your father is a history-fanatic after all. Once you have proved to him that the next circle has arrived, he’ll give and do everything to you to make sure you’re save and happy. Same for your hero, who he’ll probably try to edge into becoming your husband.”

Zelda pulled a face: “I wish he wasn’t that much of a Legend-Fanboy.” Impa chuckled and shook her head: “Look at it this way, your highness: If he wasn’t, you wouldn’t have been named Zelda.”

“And that would have been such a shame, me, a normal modern princess, who could fend for herself. Broke was right” said girl sighed, sarcasm leaking away from her, when she realised something important: “Oh my! Broke!”

Quickly the girl broke out of the circle of guards and ran to the tree, where she found a frantic Ganondorf, calm paramedic and groggy and thankfully now awake again Broke, who sported a big bandage around his head. When she stepped closer, his eyes found her.

Blue eyes met green once more and the little boy frowned: “Who are you?”

The princess felt as if she had been sucker punched, and she forcefully swallowed the tears threatening to come down.

“I’m...a friend” she finally brought out numbly.

“You’re pretty” Broke said, obviously badly concussed. “Are you an angel? Are you my guardian angel Dad told me so much about?”

Said father’s eyes were wide and he started to open his mouth in protest, but the paramedic next to him shushed him: “Don’t aggravate him. He’s got a concussion. I might have wrapped his head, but we still have to go to the hospital to make sure there’s nothing worse.”

Zelda meanwhile was struck speechless. Breathing deep, she collected herself: “I...I am not your guardian angel, no. But...I can give you something that will protect you. It’s your birthday tomorrow after all. Okay?”

Carefully she pulled a small necklace which had been hidden beneath her dress over her head. It was made from a simple leather strap and had a wooden Triforce charm, which she had carefully painted a golden colour so it wouldn’t break easily and look better. She had built it herself a few months ago and had prayed to the goddesses to bless it so it would protect the wearer. From what she had seen in these two precious hours, the boy would need its protection more than she ever would.

“Okay?” Broke groggily muttered and took it, before closing his eyes and cuddling into his father, who carefully stood up and carried his son with the paramedic by his side to the ambulance cars.

Zelda stared after him, before swiftly turning around and running back to Impa, quickly wiping the tears of her cheeks. Life really was unfair sometimes, for giving her her first friend and then taking him away before the bond could be deepened in any way.

Broke meanwhile slept peacefully his concussion away, until at clock zero to midnight of the next day he awoke bathed in sweat, screaming.

Because that night the night-terrors started.


End file.
